Transcriptome profiling reveals the immunomodulatory role of Echinococcus granulosus EgG1Y162 on macrophages in vitro.

Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) infection can induce host immunosuppression and chronic liver injury, with current therapeutic approaches exhibiting significant limitations. EgG1Y162, a promising vaccine candidate against E. granulosus, shows considerable potential; however, its specific effects on macrophages remain unknown, necessitating further investigation. This study employed RNA-seq to analyze the functional enrichment of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in macrophages following EgG1Y162 transfection, aiming to elucidate its regulatory impact on cytokines. Additionally, EgG1Y162 was prepared via in vitro transcription and transfected into macrophages. Gene expression changes were subsequently assessed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), complemented by KEGG and GO enrichment analyses to delineate activated signaling pathways.RNA-seq revealed 1848 upregulated and 1359 downregulated genes in macrophages. DEGs were enriched in Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway and NOD-like receptor (NLR) signaling pathway (e.g., TLR2, MyD88, and NF-κB upregulation). RT-qPCR confirmed elevated IL-6/IL-9 and reduced IL-4/interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) (p < 0.01). The TLR2/NF-κB axis is central to EgG1Y162-induced immune regulation. In-depth analysis of the transcriptomic data confirmed that activation of the TLR2/NF-κB signaling axis likely constitutes the central regulatory mechanism underlying the macrophage immune response. These results provide mechanistic insights into the immunomodulatory effects of EgG1Y162 on macrophages and may offer novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of echinococcosis.